Meeting President Ho Chi Minh in Guangxi in 1944

"Before the success of the August Revolution, I was fortunate enough to meet President Ho Chi Minh twice in China, in Guangxi province."

These are the recollections of Mr. Tran Lam (real name Kieu Xuan Tu), former Chief of Office and Director of the Documentation Department - Central Party History Research Board (now the Institute of Party History - Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy). During his lifetime, Mr. Tran Lam would often tell his children, grandchildren, and friends about the honor of meeting President Ho Chi Minh.

Based on the documents left behind by Mr. Tran Lam, along with the stories we heard from him, we would like to share this valuable material with readers of Thanh Nien Newspaper on the occasion of the 115th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's departure from Nha Rong Port to seek a path to national salvation (June 5, 1911 - June 5, 2026).

Handwritten cover page of the memoir " Meeting Uncle Ho in Guangxi Before the 1945 Revolution" by Mr. Tran Lam.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE FAMILY

An unexpected encounter

One summer afternoon in mid-June 1944, the sun blazed down on Liuzhou city. A delegation of Viet Minh Front cadres from Vietnam to Guangxi (including Mr. Dinh Chuong Duong, Mr. Pham Ky Van, and Mr. Tran Lam) stopped in front of a large hotel overlooking the river. They were accommodated in a spacious room on the second floor. After lunch and a rest, about two hours later, the delegation met two more members, Le Tung Son and Le Gia Loc (Tuan Sinh).

"We had just met for the first time, but we felt as close as long-lost friends who had finally reunited," Mr. Tran Lam recounted. "While we were happily chatting and exchanging pleasantries, the hotel informed us that we had visitors."

A distinguished-looking man in his fifties entered. While everyone was still bewildered, the guest smiled and greeted everyone naturally and openly. He quickly sat down next to Mr. Dinh and Mr. Le Tung Son. Without being told, we all found suitable seats on the guest beds.

The guest looked at the brothers sympathetically, then smiled and said:

- You and Uncle came all the way from Dongxing, the journey was long and arduous, especially since Mr. Dinh walked so far, it must have been very tiring, right?

"Sir," Mr. Dinh replied on our behalf, "from Dongxing to Nanning, we walked across the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, and had to find a way to avoid the Japanese army, so it was very arduous. We rested for a day in Nanning before taking a car up here. Now I feel much better."

- Are all our comrades at home well, sir? I've been away for a long time, and I was imprisoned here for over a year without any news. I've been through more than a dozen prisons, and now I'm finally free, so I really want to know how things are at home.

Mr. Dinh smiled and said very naturally:

- Sir, the Central Committee members are currently very busy, because the whole country is buzzing with preparations for an armed uprising to seize power when the international situation becomes favorable, once the Allied forces enter Indochina...

The guest sat silently, listening to Mr. Dinh Chuong Duong speak. The guest's eyes were pensive. Mr. Tran Lam briefly thought that the guest seemed to be deep in thought. Then, noticing Mr. Pham Ky Van's repeated attempts to speak, the guest turned and asked:

- What's this gentleman's name? Which province did he work in before?

"Sir," Mr. Pham Ky Van replied, "my name is Hung. Back home, I was the Party Secretary of Bac Giang province. I was captured by the French, but they had no evidence, so they imprisoned me in the Ba Van concentration camp . Unable to bear the silence in the camp, I found a way to escape and contact the higher authorities…"

After a brief pause, Mr. Ky Van continued:

- Sir, I understand that many prisons have organized escapes to recruit more cadres for the movement… Therefore, although I have been assigned to work outside, deep down I still long to return and directly participate in the preparations for the general uprising.

After hearing this, the guest smiled broadly and said:

- Yes, your request is very welcome, but what about the task the organization has assigned you here?

Mr. Pham Ky Van remained silent and did not answer. The guest did not ask any further questions, then turned to Mr. Tran Lam and asked:

- And how old are you this year? You look so young! Are you married? And which province did you work in before?

Mr. Tran Lam immediately replied:

- Yes, sir, I am 25 years old. I changed my name here to Voong Dzenh, which is in Cantonese.

After listening to Mr. Tran Lam honestly recount his family situation, including his wife and two young children at home, the visitor first instructed him to keep his personal information confidential, and then to discuss methods of operation in the foreign country. Sensing the short time available and suspecting the visitor was busy, the delegation didn't dare prolong the conversation and quickly sought out the most necessary advice.

"Sir," said Mr. Dinh Chuong Duong, "it is a great privilege to meet you today. Therefore, please allow us, those of us who have recently arrived from Vietnam, to understand some of the issues we will be undertaking in the near future."

"Please, go ahead," the guest replied. "I'm listening. I'll answer what I know, and we can discuss what I don't understand later."

- First of all, could you please tell us your opinion on the attitude and policies of Chiang Kai-shek's government towards the Vietnamese revolution? What kind of aid would they provide?

- Aid is available, if we know how to cleverly seize it, but we shouldn't get our hopes up too high. Currently, Chiang Kai-shek's government is very keen to cooperate with the Vietnamese revolution. They want to use the Viet Minh to take control of Vietnam and then all of Indochina. But they are still wary of the Viet Minh… You and the others should be careful not to reveal yourselves while working here, and don't let them misunderstand you. As for the situation, act appropriately depending on the circumstances, as long as it benefits the revolution.

"So, the situation with Chiang Kai-shek's government is clear," Mr. Dinh said. "But what should we do with the Revolutionary Alliance? Please give us some advice."

- Regarding this matter, Uncle Le Tung Son will explain in detail the organization and internal relations of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Alliance so that you and the others can understand the situation and then proceed accordingly. We must always firmly grasp the principles and interests of the Vietnamese revolution and enlist all forces to fight against Japan and France.

Mr. Tran Lam (1919 - 2011) - the person on the left - visits the mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE FAMILY

Promote what is good, correct what is bad.

After this first meeting, Mr. Tran Lam and his delegation learned that the visitor was none other than President Ho Chi Minh, also known as Comrade Nguyen Ai Quoc.

On the morning of January 13, 1946, the people of Ninh Binh province were overjoyed and proud to welcome President Ho Chi Minh for the first time. Mr. Tran Lam, then Chairman of the People's Committee of Ninh Binh province, went to welcome President Ho Chi Minh. Upon meeting him, President Ho Chi Minh asked:

- How long have you been working here, Uncle?

"Yes, I just got back," Mr. Tran Lam replied.

"Is the work here suitable? Is it difficult?" the doctor continued to ask.

"This is my first time working in government, and I'm very worried and unfamiliar with everything," Mr. Tran Lam said.

"That's right, revolutions have never had a government before. Just keep working, and you'll get used to it," President Ho Chi Minh instructed. "We learn as we go, we develop what's good, we correct what's bad, and we learn from experience to do better. Now, we are working for the revolution, not to be revolutionary officials. We work for the people; we are servants of the people, so we must wholeheartedly and tirelessly serve the people."

Mr. Tran Lam once recounted: "After the August Revolution, when I was Chairman of the People's Committee of Ninh Binh province (1945 - 1948), I had the honor of representing the people of the province in welcoming President Ho Chi Minh twice. Then, during the resistance war against the French, I had the opportunity to directly serve at the Prime Minister's Office (March 1949 - June 1950) as Director of the Training Department… That was truly a great honor for me and my family."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/gap-go-bac-ho-o-quang-tay-nam-1944-185260602173247497.htm